[JamminVMI]

Difficult, you need to go expensive.
Something like the THX Onyx or EarMen Sparrow from the balanced only output.
I know that there are even more powerful dongles but I don't have any further experience.

Agree. Planars want/need more current than dongles can give. Get a diff pair of cans for mobile use…

 

[shimigg]

Agree. Planars want/need more current than dongles can give. Get a diff pair of cans for mobile use…

Just tried the Dragonfly Red , had this shelfed for such a long time, pushes the Sundaras really great !!
I was afraid to use it because of volume instabilities with Android but its actually great!

 

[pataburd]

Initially, I used the Dragonfly Black and Cobalt with the Sundara: sound was good. (Gave the Red to my nephew. [Much] preferred the Black v1.5 to the Cobalt.)
Next, I used the Dragonfly as a preamp with the SMSL SP200 headphone amplifier: sound was better, more dynamic and open-sounding.
Lastly, I used the Wadia 151 DAC/amp: sound is the best so far: even more dynamic, open and detailed. Imaging and layering are also at their best.
Just ordered the Ananda, for better or for worse. The Sundara are pretty special.

 

[pataburd]

Well, that’s an interesting way to drive planars! Respect your opinion, as all our ears differ are mine are older, but I find Class D amps, in general, to sound compressed. I also love Sundara and my DCA planars, they‘re all different. But I’m using dedicated headphone amps, tube and solid state, all from Schiit Audio, and all with plenty of current. Favourites are Lyr 3 (tube hybrid), and Asgards 2 and 3, both solid state. I tried the Schiit Magni 3 with Sundara and didn’t think that it has the juice to really make them sing. And I do agree that more current is the answer.

But the cool part of all this is that every one of our ears is different, and even what we are looking for in a sound signature is also different. Which is why there are so many companies making both headphones and source equipment. I learn something from each of you. I’d never have thought to go direct to speaker outputs. Keep the thoughts coming!

Almost bought the Jotunheim 2. Also have a hybrid headphone amp at the shop for servicing that I may try with Sundara later, but that will require a DAC upgrade (which I am trying to (economically) avoid).

My first use of power/integrated amplifiers to drive headphones came about when I had the (original) HE-6, a tough load, and during a time when comparatively few headphone amplifiers capable of driving the HE-6 (at least those I could, or wanted to, afford) existed.

After a lengthy (and costly) term, I had gotten away from headphone listening and gone to nearfield monitors (see signature). Consequently, I ended up with three DAC/amps at my disposal after experimentation: the Wadia 151, Wyred4Sound mINT and bel canto C5i, all Class D. The W4S and bel canto have headphone outputs. The W4S's headphone out was not sufficient for the Sundara. (Haven't tried the headphone out--or the speaker outs--from the C5i yet.)

Have also used the W4S to drive the Sundara directly from the speaker taps. Very good, too, but not as good to my ears as the 151 (which has a better DAC and Wadia's typically superior digital expertise/implementation).

The aforementioned DAC/amps employ (IMHO) well-executed Class D, and I enjoy the speed, drive, detail and "cleanliness"/orderliness they convey. That said, however, I think I understand your perception/association between Class D and "compressed" sound.

The Sundara have served as my reintroduction to headphone listening, and come as a pleasant surprise: a true "benchmark" both for HiFiMan, and for planars in general.

 

[JamminVMI]

Almost bought the Jotunheim 2. Also have a hybrid headphone amp at the shop for servicing that I may try with Sundara later, but that will require a DAC upgrade (which I am trying to (economically) avoid).

My first use of power/integrated amplifiers to drive headphones came about when I had the (original) HE-6, a tough load, and during a time when comparatively few dedicated headphone amplifiers (at least those I could, or wanted to, afford) existed.

After a lengthy (and costly) term, I had gotten away from headphone listening and gone to nearfield monitors (see signature). Consequently, I ended up with three DAC/amps at my disposal after experimentation: the Wadia 151, Wyred4Sound mINT and bel canto C5i, all Class D. The W4S and bel canto have headphone outputs. The W4S's headphone out was not sufficient for the Sundara. (Haven't tried the headphone out--or the speaker outs--from the C5i yet.)

Have also used the W4S to drive the Sundara directly from the speaker taps. Very good, too, but not as good to my ears as the 151 (which has a better DAC and Wadia's typically superior digital expertise/implementation).

The aforementioned DAC/amps employ (IMHO) well-executed Class D, and I enjoy the speed, drive, detail and "cleanliness"/orderliness they convey. That said, however, I think I understand your perception/association between Class D and "compressed" sound.

The Sundara have served as my reintroduction to headphone listening, and come as a pleasant surprise: a true "benchmark" both for HiFiMan, and for planars in general.

Welcome back to headphones! Oddly, even with Lyr 3, I’m also thinking about Jotunheim 2. I could insert it in the stack and run full balanced to the Jot, and keep the single-ended Lyr setup. Planars have come a long way just in the past three or four years, with more and more players every time I turn around. At the end of the day, the music sounds great!

 

[pataburd]

The Lyr 3 looks intriguing--and I have a surplus of unused 6SN7 tubes laying around (from my memorable days with the SinglePower MPX3).

 

[jasswolf]

What could drive the sandaras like a dongle dac amp ? Need one for portable use.

Tempotec Sonata E44 goes for as low as $50 USD during AliE sales with coupons and cashbacks. Fantastic smooth sound with plenty of power, but it will suck your phone or tablet dry if you're really cranking the amp.

Just make sure you configure and test higher sampling rates to confirm the unit isn't suffering from dropouts before the return window ends. It's a 4.4mm balanced connection, but it's wired up such that it has a 3.55mm single-ended adaptor in the box that works perfectly.

It will narrow the soundstage of the Sundara a small amount compared to a desktop setup of any repute, but the overall mix of tonality, detail and lack of aliasing will have you not caring for music and movie use. Paired with your phone, it performs at the same level of mid-range DAPs.

Plenty of reviews on this, and a similarly designed dongle from Hidizs, the S9.

 

[JamminVMI]

The Lyr 3 looks intriguing--and I have a surplus of unused 6SN7 tubes laying around (from my memorable days with the SinglePower MPX3).

Frankly, it’s awesome. And what it does for planars is just magical. Right now, I have a Baldwin Organ labelled Sylvania glowing.

 

[Tripokaridos]

Hifiman contact me and they sending me new cable ... WoW they have fast support also very kind . Good to know that i can trust them .

 

[pataburd]

Just tried the Sundara through the headphone out of the bel canto e.One C5i. Beautifully structured and detailed, musical sound(!)--with volume almost all the way to the maximum (which is 100 on the digital control).

iFi iPurifier3 and USB Disruptor due to arrive today.

The Sundara works great as an analytical tool to help determine effects of system changes.

 

[pataburd]

Just plugged the iFi iPurifier3.0 into the Wadia 151 USB input.
Every thing sounds better: bigger, more dynamic and coherent, quieter . . . Class D just got pleasantly plumper. : )
Definitely a worthwhile tweak for this "Million Dollar" mid-fi rig. (The whole rig costs less than 1/2 the price of my last set of headphones, pre-Sundara, and--dare I say(?)-- sounds more enjoyable.)
These Sundara are definitely worth every penny.

 

[seanwee]

Akg 712 and Beyerdynamic 990 770 1770 1990 that i have can be used with the hifiman ring glue in them. Akg are a bit bigger and Beyerdynamic a bit smaller 10.2cm

Thanks but I was looking for the so called "2021 Sundara pads" that make the tonality more balanced.

 

[linknet]

Hi,
Just received my Noir Hybrid HPC from Forza AudioWorks for my Sundara. Beautiful work. Thick and light with a nice Furutech 6.3mm.
First song... Ouah!?! What are those things i did not hear with the stock cable...
More bass and also more crispiness but with a little less brightness.
I'm

 

[cfranchi]

Has anyone tried Sundara with (hifiman) velour pads ?

 

[pataburd]

Not yet.
Are they supposed to bring about an improvement?